


Everybody's got a hungry heart.

by Perlmutt



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Bonding, Boys In Love, Confessions, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Holiday Fic Exchange, Knotting, M/M, Mpreg, Mutual Pining, Omega Tony Stark, Omegaverse, Protective Steve Rogers, Rimming, Romance, Scenting, Secrets, Self-Denial, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28158225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perlmutt/pseuds/Perlmutt
Summary: Tony Stark has never experienced a true heat due to the suppressants he's taking on a daily basis. Society accepts him as a beta, together with his friends and teammates and the alpha he's secretly in love with.But some things are just too big to be kept hidden forever.An unfortunate turn of events forces Tony to reveal his biggest secret to the world...
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 21
Kudos: 343
Collections: 2020 Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange





	Everybody's got a hungry heart.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShadowsintheClouds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsintheClouds/gifts).



> Merry Christmas to ShadowsintheClouds! I hope you have a great time with your family.  
> Thank you for your prompts, I always wanted to write a story like this and thanks to you I finally had the opportunity to do so. Actually I wanted to keep the story short, 4k or 5k and then this fic was suddenly growing and growing and ended up being +14k. I don't know when or how that happened, but I blame the smut in it.  
> I sincerly hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! <3
> 
> A big hug goes to my cheerreader, your comments gave me life. And many thanks to my beta reader, you are awesome!!
> 
> Last but not least: English is not my mother language. But I tried my best. Dear beta-reader-san did an amazing job, so blame me for every typo and mistake left in there.
> 
> ENJOY!

The twenty-first century was supposed to be a modern, open-minded age. Women's rights, differentiation of skin colors, and religions were still a hot topic, but the world was mature enough to try and talk about it and it aspired equality. However, even if politicians, demonstrators, and public figures encouraged the discussion and cheered the people on to fight discrimination wherever it could be found… you couldn't change humankind from scratch. Outdated ideology put obstacles in the way of progress, no matter how much the individual struggled to get past them.

It was the same with how the world viewed omegas. It was a world ruled by alphas, no matter how often they pretended otherwise. A world ruled by alphas, kept running by betas, that after all this time still failed to treat omegas equally and fairly. It wasn't a bad thing, per se, to present as an omega. After hundreds of years, omegas were finally allowed to study, to get a job, to own property, and most importantly, to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be bonded to an alpha, and if they wanted children at all. Suppressants and scent neutralizers were finally legal to purchase after decades of only being available on the black market.

All in all, you could live a decent life as an omega. That is, if you didn't want to become head of your department, or be elected as mayor or – god forbid – a higher political position. You didn't _not_ get promoted because you were an omega, you just… didn't meet the expectations, and when you finally met them, another alpha or beta had likely already gotten the position you wanted. An omega as CEO? Unthinkable. Everyone knew that omegas weren't as reliable as betas and would never be as successful as alphas. Omegas went into heat, they would ask for medical leave, and get pregnant. They were unstable, they distracted the other employees, they caused scandals.

Omegas were a minority. They were rare and valuable. Omegas needed to be protected.

But omegas were also weak.

And omegas were wanton.

Tony had heard all of these remarks. He'd heard them often enough that he wanted to go deaf. His life was complicated enough without having to deal with the omega label.

 _Stark men are made of iron._ He was Iron Man, a self-made hero, a certified genius, a sought-after bachelor, a billionaire… and an omega who’d hidden his second gender since the day he had presented.

Tony Stark had never experienced a true heat, due to the suppressants he was taking on a daily basis, combined with his scent blockers. Society had accepted him as a beta. Howard, may he not rest in peace, had been adamant that his only offspring would resemble an alpha but had to settle with his son being raised like a beta. The truth was that Tony was simply neither tall and strong enough to physically resemble an alpha, nor did he possess the natural charisma and charm that alphas naturally oozed. They were born leaders. To Howard, he was a born disappointment.

His father had had another life motto branded into his mind: _fake it until you make it._

And Tony aced at that one.

.oOo.

“Iron Man! Are you okay? Tony! Talk to me!” Steve's panicked voice carried over the comms. “Tony? Tony, please!”

They were in the middle of a battle against the newest villain of the week. This one had decided she wanted to rule the world because it was a cloudy Wednesday evening and the programs on TV didn't offer enough distraction and destruction. The attack was fairly well-organized, he'd give it seven out of ten stars. Tony hated to admit it, but he was getting pretty good at rating attacks with how often the Avengers had to move out lately. Natasha had a betting pool running on when the next attack would take place and he'd already lost a few rounds. Most of the time, they were done before dinner, and the battles were short-lived, more like training sessions than really world- or even city-threatening. It was a good routine.

After the battle against Loki and the Chitauri, Tony had invited the team to come live with him in his newly renovated tower. Thor had promised to return once he'd dealt with Loki in Asgard; Bruce, his science bro, didn't have any other place to stay on this side of the planet; Natasha and Clint had gladly exchanged their sparse rooms at Shield HQ for their own suites, including access to the communal gym and swimming pool. Steve had taken the most convincing, but after a few weeks, the alpha had been standing on Tony’s doorstep, sheepishly clutching a duffel bag that contained everything he owned, asking if he could stay with them after all.

Even though it had been a spur of the moment decision to invite them all, including Steve, Tony was glad that he’d done it. Having the team around grounded him in a way that he hadn’t experienced before. Some topics were still tense, but with time, alcohol and some mostly good-natured quarrels, they had grown together to become a kind of family. They fittogether. Tony hadn’t known how much he needed them, how much they needed him, until then.

The biggest sacrifice he’d made for this new family, though, had been his relationship with Pepper. Kind, capable, wonderful beta Pepper had moved out the day after Steve had moved in.

Steve had almost changed his mind again after he’d heard the news. Though after he’d gotten wind of Tony drinking himself into a stupor after getting dumped, he’d changed tactics. Cap had been the one to carry Tony up to his bedroom, the one who’d made sure that he didn’t die of malnutrition in his workshop, who had sat down and listened to Tony’s crying. And Tony had let him. In retrospect, the genius was sure he wouldn’t have been able to get over Pepper and renew their professionalism and friendship if it hadn’t been for Steve by his side. A few months had passed since then, but at times, Tony could still feel Steve’s arms around him from when he’d consoled him. And that was probably the moment Tony knew he was in deep shit.

A loud crash pulled Tony from his reverie. The attack on Central Park was simply a mess. The youngster that was floating over the park claimed to be a deity hundreds of years old, whose shrine had once been where Central Park was now, though she looked like she was still a preschooler. Tony and Steve had been the first to arrive at the scene and together, they had been able to evacuate the park and save the citizens before the gigantic worms breached the surface to devour the people from below. Tony was reminded of those horrible 80's movies, _Tremors_ and _Dune_. Unfortunately, the worms were not their only problem. Tony had miscalculated the firepower the tiny deity had, and he’d crashed head first into a building when he'd been hit by one of her small fists. And really, _bare_ _fists_?

“I'm fine, Capsicle. Just a bit sore...” answered Tony. It was a blatant lie, but Steve didn’t need to know that at the moment. The world was swimming before his eyes and he was sure he had a sprained ankle and a few broken ribs. This wasn't the first building he'd kissed today and his suit looked ready for the scrap metal press. The rest of the team was just as beaten up. Hulk was cornered by three large worms, Natasha rushed to help Clint who was out of arrows and Thor hadn't shown up to the fight since he was still in Asgard and probably didn't even know what was happening on Earth at the moment. Steve was throwing his shield at everything he could reach, but it would probably have been more efficient if he'd just thrown paper towels at the things. At least those could catch fire, and maybe take a couple of worms out with them.

He looked breathtakingly elegant doing so; no surprise there. Steve Rogers was the epitome of perfection in motion, and he handled that metal frisbee like an Olympic athlete. Tony always watched his back when they were in battle, and he caught himself doing so even outside of battle. Okay, maybe he was just ogling him when they weren't in battle, but the guy did have a great butt. Tony would rather eat his helmet than admit that he had a crush as big as his tower on the guy, and ruin the best friendship he’d ever had. Furthermore, due to the _very small_ secret about his true gender, he decided the moment he realized he had fallen for Steve to not do anything about his feelings, except maybe daydream about the things he couldn't have.

See, Tony wasn't a masochist, he just couldn't dislike Steve for being an alpha like he so desperately wanted to. He wanted to dislike the guy on principle for being an alpha, for being everything that he wasn't. But Steve Rogers was not only the perfect man, the perfect soldier, the perfect alpha, he was also his father's greatest creation, no matter what the old man had said standing in front of the model of the Stark Expo. Tony had lived his childhood in the shadow of the greatest alpha to ever walk the earth, so it would make sense for him to loathe and despise anything associated with Captain America. But, as if specifically to defy all expectations, the guy in real life just wasn't another shallow prick, or the stereotypical alpha who thought with his dick; no, he was also a wholeheartedly kind and considerate man, gentle and open-minded, who stood up for what he thought was right. And he had a surprisingly dry humor for an old man. He was the kind of man that Tony was sure had gone extinct hundreds of years ago, if they had even existed at all. Basically, Steve was every omega’s dream, including Tony.

Tony even found the way Steve cocked his head at any of his pop culture references that he didn’t understand cute. He had one of Steve’s worn sweaters in his wardrobe which he’d snatched from the clothes hamper, and as pathetic as it was, Tony liked to bury his face in it when the nightmares haunted him and he couldn’t sleep. Steve’s clean alpha scent was balm for his soul.

And Tony loved the way Steve would smile at him over the rim of his teacup. Tony loved Steve’s adorable bedhead on those rare mornings when he overslept his alarm clock. Tony loved to fall asleep on the alpha’s broad shoulder during movie night because he knew Steve's strong fingers would carefully massage his skull to help with his frequent migraines. Tony loved the comfortable silence that would engulf them when they were working in the lab together, with Tony at his table, fiddling with his tech, and Steve sketching something on the worn-out leather couch, offering nothing but his presence and calming scent that would help Tony concentrate. It was probably safe to say that Tony sincerely loved Steve.

The Iron Man armour creaked ominously when Tony blasted a big piece of rubble away to get back into the air. Jarvis informed him the power was down to 64%. Tony fired several small missiles at the nearest worm, which effectively killed the damned thing. It fell on top of a handful of cars, which were immediately crushed beneath it.

A warning flashed across the HUD and Tony saw the tiny deity come at Steve, who had lost his shield in the last worm attack. “Steven Rogers! I can see beyond your outer shell. You have killed enough of my children! I will take back what is mine and you will not stand in my way! Let the world see what remains of the great warrior when he returns to what he once was: show us your true self!”

A panicked yell fell from the engineer's lips, and Tony kicked the thrusters into overdrive to get to Steve as fast as possible. A yellow light shone from the fingertips of the deity and Tony could feel it simmer in his veins, like his blood had been heated to boiling point. He was frozen mid-air for a second, every nerve of his body screaming as he threw himself in the line of fire between Steve and the tiny deity. At first, everything before his eyes was white, and then grey, and Tony cried out in pain. The suit was nothing more than expensive scrap metal at that moment, and he fell to the ground with the blood-curdling noise of metal on concrete filling his ears when his suit involuntarily powered down. In the back of his mind, right before he keeled over, Tony thought he could hear a roar of thunder and Steve’s panicked voice calling out for him. Tony could black out in peace. Steve was safe. The cavalry was here.

.oOo.

Tony might have acknowledged his crush on the soldier, but that still didn’t mean that Steve would reciprocate his feelings. Steve deserved the perfect mate, someone who could give him children, a dog, and a house with a white picket fence. Tony would settle with being Steve’s friend. He wasn’t ready to risk their friendship over a stupid fever dream, where Steve would go on a date with him and hold his hand. After all, who in their right mind would want a man like himself, someone who was so broken, to build a life with? Tony had lived in denial his whole life, and was used to feeling incomplete. He could do so for a little while longer…

.oOo.

The headache woke him. A groan fell from Tony’s lips and he turned onto his side to fall back asleep, but it didn’t work. He felt horrible. His skin was sticky with sweat, and there was a painful throbbing in his lower stomach. Tony had never felt like this. Cramps and shivers shook his frame, he was hot and cold at the same time, and worst of all, he had a raging hard-on.

A disturbing feeling settled in his gut. Opening his eyes blearily, he looked around and noticed that he was in his own dimly lit bedroom. An empty IV bag was on his nightstand, next to a bottle of ibuprofen drops, a glass of water and a sandwich. Steve must have been here some time ago; it was the same kind of sandwich he always made for Tony. A band-aid was in the crook of his arm, presumably from the IV. When he shifted under the sheets he could feel the bandages on his sprained ankle and the medical tape over his cracked ribs.

Tony was alone and confused; his brain was working exceptionally slowly at the moment, and he didn’t know how much time had passed since the battle. He was exhausted and felt on edge, but on top of that he was horny, like _really_ horny. An alien kind of need simmered under his skin, which seemed too small for his body somehow. Furthermore, the room smelled differently than usual, and his own soft Egyptian cotton sheets were like sandpaper on his overly sensitive skin.

Another cramp shook the engineer's body and Tony hissed, clenching up around nothing. He curled up into a ball and pressed his shaking hands to his belly. An emptiness ran through him, strange and foreign. Counting prime numbers in his head, he tried to regulate his erratic breathing to ease the pain.

"Jarvis? What's… I can't…" Tony grit out. His voice was so rough, he almost didn't recognize himself. Blood was rushing loudly through his veins, and Tony felt like he’d swallowed an entire box of Viagra.

"Sir, your temperature is rising steadily and your heartbeat is erratic. Please try to calm down, I have alerted Captain Rogers that you are awake." Jarvis’ smooth British voice broke through the silence. "He is coming."

While Tony waited for his teammate to come upstairs, his right hand wandered down to his groin, gently palming the tent in his pants, where a wet spot of pre-cum was already forming. Someone had changed him into loose sweatpants and one of his band tees while he’d been out cold. Tony just hoped it wasn’t Steve. He’d never get over the embarrassment of being handled like a toddler by the man he was in love with, especially if he’d been hard at the time. The thought alone made his cheeks burn. Tony closed his eyes again, pressed his face into the pillow beneath his head and wrapped his right hand around his member. The touch almost made him cry out in pain. This was not the kind of morning wood he’d experienced as a teenager!

“J, what happens to me?” Tony needed information, right now!

“Sir, I'm sorry but it appears that you are going into heat. I took the liberty of running some tests while you were unconscious, and it seems like all of your suppressants and blockers are failing one by one. Nothing seems to work.”

Tony stayed still, shocked for a moment before he let his fingers wander over the hot flesh of his erection, and when he reached the base, there was something slick and distinctly slimy between his legs. He continued downwards with his fingers, and right behind his balls Tony could feel something wet run down his backside. He faltered. It was his body’s own slick that every omega produced, especially when they were in heat. But Tony always took his suppressants and the blockers, he never forgot them. It was an old routine. He couldn’t go into heat, it was impossible!

Curiosity got the better of him, and Tony grit his teeth against the sparks that lit up his body as he carefully touched his puckered hole, which was just as sensitive as his groin. Subconsciously, he felt himself tighten and loosen up at the touch. Shaking, he retrieved his hand and curled his fingers around his dick instead. With slow and careful movements, he let his fingers wander up and down his erection, tracing the veins he could feel under his skin and thumbing at the head. Tony wanted to come, he wanted to come so badly that he gripped himself a little tighter. Biting the knuckles of his free hand, he tried to hold in the cry that was bubbling to the surface within his throat. This was another kind of pleasure, mixed with pain that he’d never experienced before.

"Sir, Captain Rogers is at your bedroom door. Shall I let him in?" Jarvis sounded worried about him, well, as worried as an AI could sound.

"No! Lock the door… I-I don't want to see anybody!"

"Certainly, Sir." Tony heard the lock click into place. "Though I would suggest you seek medical assistance. My scans show increased stress levels-"

"Shut it, J." Tony was now panting into his pillow, and the muscles of his stomach and thighs were twitching. The shirt he was wearing was soaked with sweat and the pants that he’d pulled down over his butt were wet with his own slick and pre-cum. A single tear ran down over his cheek to the tip of his nose. He couldn’t come. He tried to get himself off, again and again, but as pleasurable as it was, it was also painful. Tony pulled the sheets up over his shivering body, everything hurt, even the cool air on his overheated skin. Tony kept one hand on his dick, not rubbing or pumping, just holding himself in the palm of his own hand while the other had a death grip on the blanket. He wanted to fall asleep, maybe this would simply prove itself to be a nightmare that would go away when he woke up again…

.oOo.

Tony woke up only to be greeted with a headache once again. The room was dark except for the blue light of the reactor in his chest. "Jarvis…", he groaned, "What time is it? How long…"

"It's 2:14 am. You have been sleeping for six hours and twenty-three minutes. Your heart rate is still heightened, as well as your blood pressure. Dr Banner has requested your permission to take some blood samples, he seems to be worried about your health," Jarvis explained patiently. "Furthermore, Captain Rogers is still waiting for your permission to check on you. I directed him to your living room; he insisted on waiting for you to wake up. He appears to be highly concerned about your wellbeing as well." Jarvis hesitated for a moment before he continued. "Sir, I sincerely advise you to accept help from Captain Rogers, for I am not able to assist you. My records tell me he genuinely cares about you and my calculations assure me he would not do anything to harm you.”

Tony sighed deeply and, after a few more moments of thinking and riding out the pain when another wave of his heat hit, he told Jarvis to let Steve know he was allowed to enter. It was no use trying to keep the Captain out. Tony was in heat and without working drugs, this shit could take up to a week to subside, and he couldn’t stay in his bedroom without informing his team for that long. His only other option would be to let an alpha near him. Steve was an alpha. Tony wondered if... and discarded the idea immediately. Steve was his friend and Tony didn’t want to ruin their friendship any more than he’d already done.

Whimpering into the soft fabric of his pillow when another cramp overtook him, he didn’t notice the door to his bedroom opening. Only when the tantalising aroma of Steve’s clean alpha scent reached him did he feel the knot in his belly loosen up a tiny bit, which allowed the pleasure to spike again. Tony raised his head tiredly to peer at the tall figure that was blocking the doorway to his bedroom. Jarvis had lit up the room to a level bearable for his high-strung senses. Steve held a tray with another sandwich and tea in one hand, while his other was clamped over his mouth and nose, which didn’t really hide the blush high on his cheeks that Tony could still clearly see. He had changed into jeans and a t-shirt.

“Hey. I brought you food.” Steve lowered his hand and carefully came closer until he could deposit the tray on Tony’s nightstand. Shifting uncomfortably, he cleared his throat and rubbed his hands over his jeans. It was obvious that Steve could smell his heat scent and was physically affected by it.

This was pure agony. Steve would look at him differently from now on, maybe even kick him off the team. As an omega, Tony was now a liability. Why did he let Steve see him like this? Oh right, fucking hormones running rampant. He was about to ask Steve to leave again when Steve beat him to the draw.

“Tony…” Steve started. He looked so young and lost, standing there in the middle of the room like he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. Tony wanted to comfort him, but he couldn't summon the energy to do so. He was thankful for the thick blanket that still hid him from Steve’s view, though what he really wanted to do right now was rip Steve’s shirt off him and get fucked through this mattress.

“I feel like I was hit by a bus. What do you want from me, Steve?” Tony snapped, and he regretted it immediately. He let his head fall back, a tiny moan escaping him. “Sorry… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to- to snap at you...”

Steve swallowed heavily. Tony could practically feel it reverberating off his skin, even through the blankets.

“Don’t apologize, it’s okay. I’m not angry.” After looking around awkwardly, Steve focused on Tony, who was still watching him with heavy, lidded eyes. The soldier huffed and then proceeded to come even closer until he could pull the sheets up over Tony’s exposed shoulder. “Can I…?” He motioned to the edge of the mattress and waited for Tony to nod until he sat down.

He gently carded his long fingers through Tony’s damp hair, and Tony let his eyes fall shut, relishing the feeling. It gave him a weird sense of ease, even though his body felt like he might die of embarrassment and blue balls if he didn’t manage to jack off soon. The two of them sat together in silence for a short while, punctuated only by Tony’s ragged breathing.

“How are you feeling?” Steve started, as if Tony was a kindergartener.

“Fucking fine...everything hurts, I want to rip out my organs and I need somebody to fuck me right now!” Tony hissed at him like an angry cat, between moans. Steve simply continued to stroke his hair and Tony unconsciously shuffled closer so he could press his face to Steve’s warm thigh. The motion also made the sheets rub over Tony’s leaking erection and he’d almost have started to hump the mattress, if it hadn’t been for Steve by his side. The alpha’s already pink-dusted cheeks flushed beet red as he saw the aborted motion and Tony liked the color. He wanted to see it more often on Steve’s pretty face.

“Tony. I have something to say to you and you probably won't like it…” Steve shuffled again, and Tony noticed how he not-so-subtly put his free hand over the tent in his pants, trying to hide his arousal. “But before that... I wanted to let you know that the team is doing okay, Thor’s back and everyone’s safe.”

“Good… that’s good.” Tony knew, by the throbbing in his dick, that another wave of heat was approaching. Oh god, he was so hard, and Steve was sitting right next to him. Steve who smelled like vanilla, pine, apples and something that was so uniquely him. His alpha scent was driving Tony crazy. He was rock-hard, and with every passing second in Steve’s presence, he felt more slick run down his thighs. He wanted Steve more than he’d ever wanted anybody else in his life, and he hated himself for thinking like an omega in heat even though that was exactly what he was.

"Right. Listen to me, Tony, you're fully in heat." Tony could swear he heard the strain in Steve’s voice, even in the middle of this attempt to reason with him.

"I'm not… I can't… that’s impossible, it’s just..." Tony tried to downplay what was happening, with no effect. He whimpered into Steve’s leg when he felt the building urge to mate send shivers down his spine. It was useless to argue, it was more than obvious that he was in heat, but Tony was nothing if not stubborn.

"Yes, you are, Tony. Jarvis says that you've been taking drugs since you were a teenager. And Bruce’s sure that what you're going through now are years of suppressed heats.” Steve’s gentle voice managed to calm him a bit. “Personally, I don't understand why you'd hide your secondary gender for so long, but we need to get it out of your system, since all of your medications are failing… uh, I mean you need to get it out of your system, I can’t bear to see you hurting like that. The easiest way would be… well, sex… but we’d need to find you an alpha that you trust. Jarvis has a list of possible candidates and-”

“Stop right there.” Tony interrupted him with a gasp. Another wave of need crashed over him and in this moment, Tony knew exactly what he wanted and what his body needed. “I want… I don't want a nameless alpha... If I’m going to get fucked until I lose my mind it needs to count for something! I want…” Tony’s voice broke at the end of the sentence. He couldn’t say it, he just couldn’t.

“Tell me, Tony.” Steve's voice dropped an octave and it did funny things to Tony’s insides. “Tell me what you need. I’ll give you... I'll give you anything you want.”

A sob worked its way out of Tony’s throat. He pressed his hands to his throbbing, aching crotch, and a drop of sweat rolled down his forehead to vanish into his hairline. Tony shivered at the gentle ministrations of Steve’s fingers in his hair. He was needy, weakened, miserable, and a prime example of the wanton omega that he had tried his whole life not to be.

“I’m sorry, Steve… I hate this, I hate myself so much for this.” He whispered into the warm thigh of the alpha sitting next to him. “But… I want you. Only you… I don’t want anyone else touching me…”

“Tony…” Steve choked. His fingers stilled in Tony’s dark hair and Tony could feel his inner battle, how Steve was fighting with himself. “I-I’d be honored. But you’re not thinking straight, and I will not take advantage of you when you’re in need.”

This time, Tony laughed into Steve’s leg. It was a hysteric, sarcastic kind of laugh, born from distress. “Steve, I’m in heat, not stupid. You’re not taking advantage of me, I-I’m begging you to help me.”

The change in Steve’s scent was immediate. The calming smell of the alpha turned downright sensual, his previously carefully withheld arousal almost palpable in the bedroom. It hit Tony like a brick wall and left him gasping for air. Another gush of slick dribbled from his hole at the scent that engulfed him like a blanket of safety and comfort and outright want. The engineer clenched his eyes shut - it was almost too much. He felt the mattress dip when Steve moved further towards him. A sharp intake of breath was audible the moment Tony felt the alpha lift the thick blanket he'd been wrapped up in. Tony must have been quite the picture, sweatpants pushed down to his knees and shirt ridden up to his chest, leaving his belly, butt and crotch in the open. The air on his overheated skin pricked like needles and Tony could feel how damp the fabrics were from his sweat and slick. To be seen like this by Steve was humiliating.

Tony had almost changed mind about begging Steve to take him, when suddenly, strong arms gently lifted him from the edge of the mattress where he’d been huddled and carefully laid him down on his back in the middle of the bed. Steve’s skin was cool and smooth to the touch, like ice cubes on a hot summer day. He writhed under the mellow fingers that freed him of his sodden pants, and barely registered as they also removed his shirt. The pain was still there, hot and burning in his lower abdomen but every touch seemed to calm the waves that crashed over him into something bearable. Pleasure was slowly, little by little replacing the pain.

Tony opened his eyes when gentle fingertips stroked over his cheek, tracing the wet lines of his tears. Steve’s worried but still beautiful face hovered in the air over him, and the look of utter adoration in his blue eyes appeased the storm in the shorter man’s heart.

“I’m here, Tony, for as long as you’ll let me. It’s okay, I’m here and I’ll always catch you if you fall.” The alpha had discarded his shirt and pants by now, and was only wearing shorts. Warmth and coldness radiated simultaneously off his skin. Steve bent down, cupped Tony’s face in one of his large palms and placed tender kisses on his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks, his nose, and lastly, on his bottom lip. “Let go, Tony. It’s okay.”

All of Tony’s carefully built up walls crumbled under the blonde’s fingertips. He gave in to the need and desperately clutched at Steve’s shoulders. A drawn-out moan fell from his lips, which were already raw from his constant biting. It wouldn’t have taken much preparation for Tony to get ready to take the alpha and his knot, considering how wet and loose he was by now, but the soldier still took his time and worshipped every inch of skin that he could get his hands on. He laid between the omega's legs and kissed his way down over his body. Kisses on the tendons in Tony’s neck, next to where his bonding glands were, thumbs on his perky nipples, every scar that Steve found on Tony's lithe body did he cherish with his lips and tongue, always considerate of his injuries. Tony was even more of a writhing and whimpering mess underneath him than he’d been before they started when Steve finally reached his crotch. His mind was blessedly blank, he was simply not able to form proper sentences.

Tony was achingly hard and, since he’d started going into heat, unable to come and relieve some of the built up tension. Steve stilled his lips on Tony’s stomach, millimetres away from his bellybutton, where the first dark hairs of his happy trail were, and his ragged breath was torture on the throbbing flesh of Tony's dick. The omega raised his head from where he’d thrown it back into the pillows and lifted a quivering hand to Steve’s face. His other still had a death grip on the bed sheet.

“Please… Steve, I can’t- I want you… Steve, alpha…” Steve’s name fell from his tongue like a prayer, over and over again.

When the words registered, Stevev’s eyes dilated so much the blue of them was barely visible. The alpha grabbed and lifted only one of Tony’s legs until he had free access to his leaking erection. He kept holding Tony’s gaze, even as he opened his mouth to swallow him in one go.

The omega cried out at the wetness and heat that engulfed him. His hips jerked and he tried to move and chase the pleasure that had finally managed to mostly numb the pain, but Steve had a gentle yet strong grip on him and kept holding him down. Lifting and moving his head back down in a steady rhythm, he sucked on the hot flesh and hummed deep in his throat, until Tony was sure he was losing his mind at the feeling. It was perfect in a way he hadn’t experienced up until now. Another wanton cry escaped his throat when he felt the alpha tease his slit and the head of his cock with his tongue. When Steve finally let go of his hard member with one last lick, he was trembling like a leaf.

The blonde continued to lift his other leg up, until Tony was almost bent in half. Between his legs, he could see the huge bulge in the shorts that Steve was still wearing. If that was any indication for how the alpha was built down there, then Tony would be very full, and hopefully very soon. But every half-formed thought that he’d had flew out of the window the moment Steve latched onto Tony’s balls and brought his lips and tongue down to lick at his dripping hole. Deft fingers caressing his balls and the tender skin of his perineum.

“Steve! Ah… don't! Steve, Steve… Steve!” Tony chanted the alpha’s name, repeated it again and again, like it was the only thing keeping him sane, and maybe that was true. Sparks were lighting up his body, everything tingled, and felt alight with an inner fire. He felt Steve manhandle him into another more convenient position, with both of his legs trapped under one of Steve’s strong arms and his butt up in the air while he knelt behind Tony. Steve held onto him tightly as all of his most private parts were put on broad display for the soldier to see. It was slowly killing him, in combination with the heat that, by now had fully arrived and bloomed, spiking to new heights.

“Tony… Tony you- you’re so wet down here. It’s amazing. You’re amazing…” Steve watched his quivering hole, mesmerized. His voice was a rough and deep rumble as he came up for air, and Tony felt himself clench up helplessly around the fingers that entered him steadily.

The omega couldn’t keep his voice down when he felt Steve’s tongue at his entrance again, licking his way in and opening him up with both fingers and mouth. He threw one arm over his eyes, while the other tried to hold onto every inch of the blonde that he could reach. Slick mixed with saliva ran down over his buttcheeks and thighs. The adventurous fingers that were inside of him together with Steve’s tongue soon found his prostate and attacked it vigorously, pushing deeper and deeper. Their mingled scents of heat, slick, want and sex hung heavy in the air. It was a lascivious mixture, intoxicating and addictive. Squelching, wet sounds reached Tony's ears and it almost pushed him over the edge. But it wasn't enough, it just was not enough.

“Steve… please, I want you… I need you!” Tony wasn’t ashamed to admit that he sounded wrecked, even to his own ears. Unable to reach Steve, he’d wrapped one hand around his own weeping dick while he was biting the knuckles of his other hand bloody, from the pleasure and the pain of physically not being able to come on his own. His own pre-cum was dripping down, leaving smears on his abs. “Steve… I need to feel you!”

The blonde soldier finally stopped turning Tony’s brain to mush via the most orgasmic rimjob ever, and carefully lowered Tony’s legs and ass back down onto the mattress. Once again, he positioned himself between the omega’s legs, crawling up to him so they were face to face and trapping the omega’s erection between their bodies. Tony could see his own slick glistening on the alpha’s chin and lips, and another moan freed itself from deep within his throat at the sight, and the feel of his dick brushing over the alpha’s abs. Steve’s eyes were almost pitch black, blown so wide so that his blue irises were almost invisible. With his dishevelled blonde hair and the rosy blush high on his cheeks, he was the sexiest man that Tony had ever laid eyes upon, and he’d met many handsome people in his life.

“Tony… Can I- can I kiss you? I want to kiss you, please,” Steve babbled, whispering into the small space between them. His breath was hot on Tony’s flushed face and he could feel the soldier’s thrumming heartbeat where they were touching. He was leaning on one elbow, his free hand gently caressing Tony’s flank and chest, always careful not to put too much pressure on his injured rib cage.

Tony managed a weak chuckle at his words, when another cramp made him jerk. “Steve, you- you just ate me out like there’s no tomorrow. We’re past asking for permission for a… for a kiss.” Tony felt his insides jump at the thought of Steve kissing him, as if his body was trying to refute his words. A kiss was something tender, shared between lovers in the dark of the night, accompanied by confessions of true love. Nevertheless, he raised his arms and wrapped them clumsily around the alpha’s neck, because deep in his heart, he knew that it was love, _true_ love, not something born of this heat or his desire for release, that he was feeling for the man in his arms.

A flash of something in Steve’s eyes almost made him falter, but then their lips met in the middle and it left Tony reeling. He gasped at the soft press of Steve’s lips on his own. Closing his eyes, he opened his mouth to welcome Steve’s tongue when he felt it gently licking over the seam of his lips. He could taste himself on the alpha's lips.

In the back of his mind, Tony registered Steve shifting and moving him, but he paid it no mind as his brain had short-circuited at the way that Steve gently nibbled at his bottom lip. He was directing the kiss, and Tony was no longer able to do more than go with the flow. Their kiss only broke when the omega threw his head back when he felt the tip of Steve’s dick nudge his entrance. It gave Steve free access to his neck, and the blonde proceeded to kiss and suck on his earlobe.

“Tony… we don’t have any condoms…”

Leave it to Steve to think of condoms, when Tony was practically going insane from want beneath him and was begging to be fucked through the mattress.

“I don’t care, Steve, I don’t care!”

“Okay, okay. I’ve got you, Tony, I’m here with you. Are you ready? Tony? Are you ready, doll?” He held Tony’s legs up with his elbows, having hooked his knees into the crook of his arms, spreading him wide. Weirdly satisfied, Tony noted that Steve sounded just as breathless and wrecked as he currently felt. He’d also gotten rid of the shorts he’d still been wearing, and was as naked as the day he was born. The soldier’s body was a work of art, perfect in every way and currently glistening from sweat and stray streaks of pre-cum. Tony wanted to run his hands over him and catalogue every muscle and curve. But this was not the time for that. He needed to feel Steve, to really feel him, if he didn’t want to lose his mind.

“I’m ready! Oh god, so ready!” Tony gasped, trembling from need and pain. He whimpered as he finally felt Steve enter him, and Steve grunted above him when Tony buried his nails in the muscles of his back. The alpha gently but steadily pushed inside him and Tony cried out when Steve finally bottomed out. He wasn’t just big, he was huge! His eyes rolled back into his skull, the feeling of being taken by the alpha was like coming home. It eased the burning pain in his inside and nearly made him black out from the overwhelming pleasure of being breached by Steve’s hot and throbbing alpha dick.

“Tony! Dear god, Tony!” Steve gasped into the crook of Tony’s neck, next to his swollen bonding glands. He was shivering above the omega, and a single bead of sweat fell from his forehead onto Tony’s overheated skin. “You feel so good, so good… are you okay? Can I move? Sweetheart, are you okay?”

“Move! Fuck, Steve, move… please! I can’t- please move! Fuck!” Tony all but sobbed into the alpha’s hairline. And Steve moved. He pulled back until only the head of his dick was still inside of Tony before he pushed back in.

Slow and gentle at first, but encouraged by Tony’s moans and praises, Steve soon quickened his pace, and after some experimenting with the angle of his thrusts, he found the omega’s prostate again. The engineer’s hand tightened in the alpha’s hair, where it caressed the back of Steve’s head. He unconsciously clenched around the alpha's dick who was buried to the hilt inside of him, prompting Steve to aim continuously at that particular sweet spot. Their mouths crashed together and the soldier swallowed all the delicious moans that fell from the smaller man’s mouth.

Tony lost all track of time as they laid together and made love. No matter how hurried and uncoordinated it occasionally was, the way Steve touched and kissed him, how he gently took Tony apart bit by bit and put him back together... this was not just sex or a friendly favour. It was so much more. And if Tony had more than one brain cell to ponder over that realisation, he might have been scared of the aftermath. But at the moment, he was too occupied with melting under Steve’s fingers.

The knot in him slowly loosened, and Tony felt a previously unknown calmness settle in his core. The pain subsided and left nothing but pleasure and a feeling of belonging behind. Heady with bliss, he moaned around Steve’s name as the building heat in his groin warned him of his approaching orgasm.

“Steve… I’m coming. I’m coming, alpha…”

“It’s okay, Tony.” Steve wrapped one hand around his neglected erection and started pumping. He moved his hand in time with his thrusts. Their foreheads touched in what was a strangely intimate gesture, considering what they were doing. “I’ve got you, you can let go. I’m here for you… come for me, Tony! Come together with me!”

Steve’s breathless words finally brought the release that Tony needed and with a cry, he came all over Steve’s hand and his belly. An animalistic growl crawled out of Steve’s throat as he felt Tony tighten around him. His movements became erratic and without further warning he pressed closer to Tony, when the knot at the base of his dick, which had started to catch at Tony’s rim a while ago, fully expanded and successfully locked them together. The omega could feel the throbbing heat inside of him and how he was being filled with the soldier’s seed when he came deep in his hot channel. Steve’s scent became even stronger, and it was everything that Tony wanted.

“Steve… Steve, you’re here. Don’t- don’t go away… please stay, Steve,” whispered the omega, full and exhausted. The immediate need to mate slowly ceased, but Tony knew it was only a matter of time before the next wave of his heat would hit and he’d beg Steve to knot him again.

“I’m not going anywhere, Tony,” Steve panted heavily above him, and he hooked Tony’s legs around his waist so he could gather the omega in his arms. He was flushed and sweaty and disheveled and the most beautiful thing Tony had ever seen in his whole life. “I’m here with you. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

The last thing Tony saw before he blacked out were Steve's eyes and how he watched him with a tender gaze, full of warmth and adoration. What would he give to make Steve look at him like this forever...

.oOo.

The third time that Tony woke up in his dim bedroom, he was not alone. His headache was gone, the simmering pain in his middle was no longer unbearable, though he could feel the next wave of his heat approaching. He was hard again. Shifting around under the sheets he could feel Steve's bulk at his back, his thigh between Tony's legs. The alpha was a calming presence behind him, his big hand gently caressing Tony's belly and hips.

“Hey.” Steve's voice was a deep rumble, quiet and intimate, and it sent a pleasurable shiver down his spine. The alpha continued to nuzzle Tony's dark hair. “How are you feeling?”

Tony turned his head until he could look into Steve’s blue eyes. The alpha propped his head up on his arm so he was able to see better. Tony’s throat was raw, he had to clear his throat before he managed to get the words out. “Numb. A good kind of numb… but, I want to feel you again, the next- the next wave is coming…”

The omega shivered violently when his slick started leaking from his hole again, right onto Steve’s thigh. Nevertheless, Tony felt surprisingly clean down there, and the reason why was probably the bowl of water and the two towels on the chair next to the bed.

Steve had cleaned him up. He’d cleaned up the mess they’d created in their unbridled lovemaking. He felt his cheeks heat up at the thought, and was thankful when Steve bent down to kiss his temple that he probably couldn’t see it in the dimness of the room. The arc reactor in his chest was the only source of light, and it accentuated Steve’s facial features beautifully.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Steve sounded so concerned, Tony couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he tried to reassure the alpha that he was okay.

“I’m not hurt. Feel for yourself.” Tony took Steve’s hand in his and guided it past his already hard cock and heavy balls, down to his entrance that was only slightly puffy, but which quivered in anticipation at the touch of Steve’s fingers. Tony choked out a moan when he heard Steve’s satisfied growl at how easily he opened up and welcomed two of his fingers into his hot channel.

There was no preparation necessary; Tony was already wet and excited, and the ring of muscle was still soft. Steve simply kissed him, holding him snugly to his chest and helping him lift one leg so Steve could slide in easily from behind. He was already hard and leaking, too.

This time, their movements were a bit slower, a bit more measured, so that they could both enjoy the feel of each other more thoroughly. Steve had one hand on Tony’s cock, stroking and fondling him in sync with his long thrusts, while also keeping his hips close to his own. Meanwhile, his other hand was splayed over the omega’s chest, tweaking his nipples from time to time. Tony clutched weakly at the strong arms that held him, needing Steve so much closer than he already was. The alpha peppered his neck with kisses, sucking hickeys into the skin, which made Tony mewl in pleasure. It didn’t take long before Tony could feel Steve’s knot starting to engorge lightly, and he lost it when it pressed into his prostate as Steve bottomed out and rubbed his thumb over the head of his dick at the same time.

Chanting Steve's name, Tony came twice in the palm of the alpha who held him. The taller man rode out his orgasm, buried deeply inside the warmth of the omega's pliant body. His knot swelled and locked them together again for the next thirty minutes, which they spent snuggled close together, bathing in the comfort that they provided each other.

From there on, it was a constant up and down as they waited for the next waves of Tony's heat to come and then fade again. They stayed tangled together, panting, sweating and blissfully resting in each other's arms.

Tony didn't know who left the trays of food in front of the locked bedroom, but he guessed it must have been Bruce or Dum-E, since Steve was constantly at his side. In between their passionate sexual activities and exhausted naps, he brought Tony the food when he was hungry, gently cleaned him up, helped him go to the en-suite bathroom when his knees gave out under him, and filled the silence with quiet stories about happy memories from before the war. He carded his fingers through Tony’s hair, soothed him with his deep voice and gentle touches when the painful cramps returned, and kissed away the tears from the corners of his eyes. Never before in his life had Tony felt this cared for. Why did he ever hide his feelings from Steve?

.oOo.

Two and a half days after Tony’s heat initially started, he had the first break, a time where his mind cleared a bit from the haze of lust and need. It was the first sign that the end of his cycle was coming closer. He was laying atop Steve, ignoring his aching ribs and the arc reactor embedded in his sternum, his head on the alpha’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat next to his ear. Tony was still panting and shivering, the last wave had been especially intense, and his legs and hips were still twitching. Steve was running his fingertips up and down his spine while his free hand was resting over Tony’s hipbone, where he’d accidentally left hand-shaped bruises. The guilt he felt about hurting Tony was obvious in his scent, like a hint of rain clouds. Being able to tell Steve’s moods from his scent alone was exciting and new. Tony hadn’t been able to identify anything that precisely while he’d been under the effect of his scent blockers.

Tony rubbed his hand over Steve’s shoulder where it had been resting, to get his attention. Steve waited for him to speak, his hand still on the small of Tony's back.

“Yeah? What’s wrong, doll?” Steve asked, trying to pull the discarded blanket clumsily over their legs, while also trying not to dislodge Tony from where he was resting.

“Nothing wrong, just… why?” Tony mumbled into the body beneath him. He was drawing patterns onto Steve’s pecs and could feel the pink nipple harden when he touched it.

“Why what, doll?” Steve tried to clear up. He was rubbing circles into Tony’s skin, right next to the swell of his ass.

“Why the pet names?” The alpha stilled underneath him and Tony could feel him tensing up. That wasn’t what he’d meant! He wanted to reassure Steve, tell him it didn’t bother Tony in the slightest, that he liked to hear Steve call him _doll_ or _sweetheart_ or _darling._ The highlight of the last few days had been the moment when Steve had been coming inside him for the umteenth time, and the alpha's control had slipped. He’d called Tony “ _My omega”_ and the engineer had thought his heart was going to stop for a moment. Tony wanted to purr at the memory, incredibly pleased by the sound of it, but when the two of them eventually went back to only being teammates and friends, he would miss the nicknames dearly. The moment they left his bedroom they would return to friendly camaraderie, it was going to be awkward and uncomfortable and Tony dreaded the moment, wishing he could stay here with Steve like this forever. He wished for him to call him _my omega_ again, and mean it. 

“S- Sorry… I’ll try to stop if it bothers you that much.” Steve sounded defeated and the smell of rain in the air became more intense. The omega reached for his hand when he tried to pull back.

“Don’t stop!” The words escaped him faster than he could hold them back. The alpha paused and gave in to Tony’s pulling, laying his hand back on top to cup Tony’s butt. “I- I like it when you… when you, uh, call me that.”

“You- you like it?” repeated Steve, his voice husky. The smell of rain slowly became fainter. “Sweetheart? You like it?”

Tony turned and hid his face in Steve’s chest. He could feel himself blushing, and he snaked his arms around Steve’s middle to make the alpha stop looking at him so intensely. He hummed a vague affirmation into the skin beneath his lips.

“Doll?” Steve asked.

Another hum.

“Darling?” Tony could hear the smile in Steve’s quiet voice.

A tiny nod.

“Honey?” Steve pushed his nose into Tony’s curls.

“Stop it, you dummy.”

“Love?”

Tony couldn’t answer him this time.

Steve took matters into his own hands. The omega yelped in surprise when the alpha wrapped him in his strong arms and rolled them over so he was hovering above him. He cupped his face so Tony couldn’t not look into his eyes. The last few days had been a whirlwind, and Tony’s heart threatened to burst from all the emotions he’d held back all these long years and months.

“Love?” Steve repeated, and rubbed his thumb over Tony’s bottom lip. He was unshaven, probably with greasy hair and dark circles under his eyes from lack of proper sleep but Steve still looked at him like he was the sun, the center of his universe. And Tony could do nothing but lie still and hold his breath. His trembling fingers had found Steve’s waist, he needed something to hold onto. “I think I know why you threw yourself in the line of fire when the tiny troublemaker attacked.”

“What?” This wasn’t what Tony had expected and he was flailing, trying to catch up with Steve. “No, it was an accident, I didn’t do it on purpose-”

“Yes, you did.” Steve was smiling down at him and it made his eyes sparkle. It was beautiful and Tony wanted to get lost in that deep blue ocean. “Tony- Tony… you are the most fascinating, beautiful, and contradictory person I’ve ever met. You’re kind-hearted, generous and adorably stupid sometimes, even if you’re the smartest man to ever walk the earth. But you hide your true self and seem to be unable to see your own worth.”

Tony wanted to interrupt him, but swallowed his words when Steve lowered his face so he could kiss the tip of his nose.

“Please…” Steve was whispering the words into his skin now, “Tony, please give me permission to court you and show you just what you mean to me.”

Tony couldn’t help himself. He was shaking and he could feel tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He was not a religious man, but in this moment, he prayed that Steve was not joking around. Courting was a serious matter for an omega. If an omega allowed an alpha to court them, they gave their heart away. Courting led to bonding, and a bond was meant to last forever. Some spiritual quacks even went so far as to say that true bonds lasted more than one lifetime. “You- you don’t need to… you don’t need to pretend to be interested in me just because I made you stay with me during my, uh… during my heat. It was just heat-sex… just heat-sex. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

“But it can also mean everything.” Steve brushed away the stray tear that ran down Tony’s temple. “You caught my eye when you first walked into the room, all those months ago on the helicarrier. You were sassy, self-assured, a little too smart, but so, so captivating. I couldn’t avert my eyes, but also didn’t know how to act around you, so I wouldn’t make a fool of myself. When you fell from the sky, I thought I’d lost you so quickly after getting to know you, I thought my heart would stop. But up until now, I didn’t know why I felt so strongly about you. You made everyone believe you were a beta, and I believed it too. Only omegas are truly meant to be with alphas. I tried to ignore the feelings you ignited in my heart, because I thought I’d never have a chance. But now… things are different. If there’s even the tiniest chance that you’d accept my courting, then that’s a chance I’ll take. And… and if you don’t want to, then that’s fine too. I will never, and I mean never, force myself upon you. You are so very dear to me, I can’t find the right words to tell you just how much you mean-”

Steve’s rambling was interrupted when Tony crashed his lips to his, kissing him to within an inch of his life. He couldn’t talk. He needed to feel Steve. This was more intense than any heat-induced need, this was true and whole and simply perfect. Tony had heard about this, the fairytales that mothers told their children before they went to bed called it true love’s kiss.

“Yes… yes, Steve, yes to everything. All of it. You… only you. I don’t need anything else… I’ve wanted you for so long.” The omega’s voice was rough and breathless and he was sure he sounded positively wrecked. But it didn’t matter. Steve was here with him, and it looked like he was here to stay. Tony had found a home. A person that wanted him, his true self, with all of his quirks and rough edges, no matter how much baggage he was carrying. 

The smell of happiness, like sunshine, cherry blossoms and caramel laced the scent of the alpha, it was uniquely him and Tony wanted to lose himself in it.

Steve, his alpha, held him in his warm embrace, like Tony was his whole world and nothing else was important, only the way the two of them finally fit together, like the two most perfectly matched pieces of a puzzle.

.oOo.

Three and a half days had passed when Tony was finally able to leave his quarters, with a bandaged ankle and Steve at his side. The alpha was still worried about him; he was constantly touching Tony’s back, offered his hand or his arm for support when Tony was a bit wobbly, opened doors for him, and helped him sit down gingerly at the wooden table in the communal kitchen, which was blessedly empty. The team wasn’t around at the moment, and Tony was thankful for it. Steve started making something to eat for him, it was late morning and their stomachs were grumbling.

Tony was exhausted. Physically and mentally. The heat had drained him, he’d never had such an excessive sex marathon before, and he was no longer in his twenties. Good thing, he’d thought midway through the second day of his heat while receiving the literal fucking of his life, that Steve had the super soldier serum and his refractory period was practically nonexistent, or Tony would have clawed his own eyes out from the unsatisfied need.

However, at the end, even the alpha had shown signs of exhaustion. The two of them had used the moments when Tony’s mind cleared from his heat-induced fog to sleep and talk about what had happened back at the battlefield after he’d gone down. Apparently, Cap had forcefully removed his armour after it shut down so he could get him to medical. Unfortunately the first paramedics at the scene hadn’t been SHIELD personnel. It had been a public ambulance, and the medics had instantly recognized the first symptoms of his looming heat. Civilians and onlookers had caught wind of the turmoil and the news that Tony Stark was an omega and in heat had spread like wildfire. Jarvis had kept them updated in between their passionate lovemaking sessions. Steve’s arms around him and his reassuring voice in his ear had been the only thing keeping him from losing it at the updates he’d gotten. Every newspaper and gossip rag was talking about him, Stark Industries’ stocks had dropped several points, paparazzi were camping in front of the tower and SI's offices, and Pepper and Rhodey had tried their best to grant Tony the time off he needed to get through his heat, but they’d also left him a couple dozen voicemails, asking how he was doing, when he'd be back, and why the hell he'd never told them the truth.

He felt bad for lying to them about his second gender, but hoped their friendship would survive it and that they'd forgive him. Especially Pepper, who held the company together in his absence and deserved a medal for being the strongest woman he knew, together with Natasha.

Steve could probably smell the insecurity he was feeling, ever since he'd heard the news that his biggest secret had been exposed. He was protective without being overbearing, attentive and supportive but not patronising. Still, their whatever-they-were-to-each-other-now was so new, so raw and so fragile, Tony wanted nothing more than to keep it safe and hold it close to his heart. The havoc he would face the moment he stepped back into the headlights was surely not what Steve had signed up for, and Tony told himself he’d accept it if the alpha decided that this was not what he wanted. His heart would break, his hope would shatter, his confidence would crumble, but he wouldn’t hold it against the alpha. He was still a Stark, even as an omega. _Stark men are made of iron._ Tony would not break, even if he had to face the consequences of the biggest lie of his life alone.

“Here you go. You like omelettes with cheese, bell peppers and mushrooms, right?” Steve pulled him from his thoughts when he deposited a plate in front of him, together with a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. Two slices of toast followed, as well as an orange and a banana.

“Yeah, I do. Thanks.” Tony took the fork Steve offered him, and within seconds the first half of his omelette was gone. “Wow, this is really good. Thanks, Steve.”

Steve was sitting across from him, on the other side of the kitchen table, and was looking at him with his bright blue eyes, which seemed to be able to see right into his soul. Tony averted his eyes. They had spent the last few days wrapped around each other, more intimately connected than anything else that Tony had ever shared with anybody else. Steve knew his body inside out, had learned what drove Tony crazy, what he enjoyed, what he didn’t like, and what made him see stars. Steve had taken him apart inch by inch, and put him back together to be something else, somebody else. He felt more whole than ever before. It was as if the essence of Steve, what made the alpha himself, what characterised him, had engulfed Tony and filled every crack in his being.

But now, outside the sanctuary of Tony’s bedroom, fully clothed, sitting in the kitchen and sharing their first proper meal in three days, Tony felt uncomfortably naked and vulnerable in the harsh light of day.

Steve shifted on his chair and put his fork down when he was finished with his serving. He was still watching Tony, the omega could feel his gaze on him, he didn’t need to look to know it. Then suddenly, he felt Steve’s leg brush his own. Tony twitched, but didn’t shake Steve off. Their ankles touched and the simple contact managed to calm Tony down instantly.

“Tony? I think… you’re not thanking me for the omelette, are you?” The alpha had his arms crossed over his chest and leant forward on his elbows, so he could look into the omega’s dark eyes.

Tony was sure he looked horrible. Dark circles under his eyes, his hair greasy and his skin pale, but Steve still looked at him with such warmth in his eyes that he managed to swallow around the lump in his throat. 

“Not really…” he admitted finally, when the silence stretched on and started to become awkward. He started peeling his banana, just to have something to do with his hands, and searched for the right words to continue, while Steve waited patiently for him. “I wanted to thank you for, you know, everything. I practically jumped you back then and you… you didn’t walk away, even though you saw me at my lowest. You stayed with me all through my heat, and you… you took away the pain. Not just with your dick, which you are really talented with, by the way.”

The lame attempt at lightening the mood only managed to make Steve lift one corner of his mouth. Tony cleared his throat and continued haltingly. “I’m really bad at this whole ‘feelings’ talk, but… I was, I and still am, glad that it was you who stayed with me. I felt… powerless, and that’s a feeling I hate. I felt defeated and betrayed by my own body. But you- you managed to make me feel safe. And I realise now that I didn’t lose that particular battle against myself with you at my side.”

Tony had started to cut the banana into smaller and smaller pieces the longer he talked. His fingers were shaking and he nearly cut himself, until Steve laid his hand on top of his to still him.

“Tony. You wouldn’t have lost anything. You are the bravest person I know - person, not omega. I am aware that you don’t need anyone to look after you. Tony Stark, you are powerful and independent. But knowing this and still being allowed to stay at your side, only shows me how strong your faith in me is, and that’s the most important thing to me. It’s an honour to be with you. I swear, I won’t betray your trust.” Steve brushed his thumb over Tony’s knuckles and raised his hand to his lips to place a tender kiss on the back of his hand. “You are so much more than what society defines you as a being.”

“I know. I want to believe you…” Tony felt himself color a little at the gentle gesture. He was, weirdly, both calm and nervous in Steve’s presence, feeling queasy and yet hopeful. “But… I don’t believe in myself. I- I don’t… I don’t want to fuck this up, Steve.” Tony’s voice was quiet and he’d gone back to staring holes into the surface of the table. “A lot of crap is about to happen, a real shitstorm if you want to call it that. I’d totally understand if you’d rather not get involved further, because, well- me being an omega has made massive waves and-”

“Stop right there, Tony.” Steve’s strong voice managed to shut him up instantly, and he raised his eyes from the wood in front of him. Steve hadn’t raised his voice in the slightest, but he’d emphasized the words in a way that managed to shake Tony out of his brooding. Tony met Steve’s eyes, and Steve squeezed his fingers tightly for a moment. “The moment you allowed me to touch you, I promised to keep you safe. Like I told you before, I’m here for you, I’m staying until the end, no matter what kind of storm is about to come, for as long as you'll let me.”

Tony allowed himself a tentative smile at Steve’s words and searched his gaze. He didn’t know what exactly he was looking for, but what he found in those blue orbs was what he needed. Calmness, confidence, and dare he say… love?

“So… does this mean, we’re in this together?” Tony looked at Steve from under his lashes. Maybe he could have this. Maybe with Steve by his side, he could cross the ocean in a rowboat, climb the highest mountains in jeans and sandals, fly to the stars in a paper plane. Steve looked at him like Tony held his heart in his hands, everything he wished for. Just a week ago, Tony would have laughed at the idea of him ever being anything other than a friend and teammate for Steve, but now it was different. His secret and his desires did not ruin their friendship; instead, they lifted their relationship to a whole new level.

Steve was everything Tony wanted.

And everything Tony needed to do was to summon up all his courage and take the proffered hand.

So he took it.

No more hiding in the shadows, no more pills and drugs and scent blockers, no more lies, and no more pretending to be someone that he wasn’t. He was Tony Stark, Iron Man, genius, billionaire, philanthropist… and an omega.

If Steve - Captain America, national hero, and Tony’s secret crush - accepted him as his omega, then why the hell should Tony care about anybody else’s opinion?

Steve smiled at him, his whole face lighting up. His blue eyes were sparkling with adoration, pride and gratitude, and his usually calm scent turned sweet, like fresh apple pie with caramel. He squeezed Tony’s hand, which laid in his, and the simple gesture washed over Tony like gentle waves. “Yes, Tony. We’re in this together.”

.oOo.

The press conference a week after the battle was horrible.

No matter how soppily Tony and Steve had talked about facing the world together, the reality was still there, and in the week that Tony had been absent, a storm had brewed that threatened to drown the omega the moment he stepped out onto the rostrum and into the cameras. The various reporters and paparazzi from what seemed like every news channel in the world didn’t even wait for him to start speaking. They bombarded him with questions, pushing and shoving as everybody tried to get up in his face and be the first to get an answer out of him. They acted like hyenas at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Tony’s heart was pounding loudly in his chest, the many mixed scents of so many people at the press conference almost made him sneeze and gag at the same time. It was the first time in his life that he was nervous in front of the cameras. Revealing his secret identity as Iron Man had been a piece of cake compared to this.

The presence of the other team members, who were all standing at the back of the platform, helped calm him. Rhodey and Pepper, with whom he’d had a long and intense talk with many hugs and some manly tears, were quietly talking to the security guards at the back of the room. Steve’s strong hand, which rested supportively on the small of his back, and the tiny private smile in his eyes that was reserved solely for Tony were giving him strength. He cleared his throat, letting his eyes wander a bit, and the crowd quieted enough that he was able to talk without shouting himself hoarse, even with the microphone on the desk in front of him.

“Hi, everybody. We all know why you’re here, and I’m not keen on putting this off any further,” Tony started. His voice was firm and he was surprised that he managed to sound just as indifferent as if they were talking about the weather. “Most of you already know this, and if not, I’d have to ask if you’re living under a rock. An unfortunate accident a week ago is responsible for revealing something that I had to hide my whole life... I am an omega.”

“Mr Stark, why do you phrase it like you were forced to keep your gender hidden? There are laws protecting and supporting omegas!” A reporter interrupted him, particularly loudly, and murmured affirmations accompanied his question.

Tony frowned at the man who’d spoken first, a beta it seemed. He held his microphone a little higher when the other reporters tried to shuffle closer as well, bloodthirsty for a scoop. “I phrased it exactly like I meant it. You say omegas are accepted, but can you remember the last time you met an omega in a higher position than yourself or your colleagues? Can you name one omega in an executive position? An omega in a high political office? An omega as CEO?” Tony bit out, with more venom than he’d intended. He drew a long breath through his nose and ran a hand down his tie to smooth it back down. Steve’s scent by his side intensified slightly, but the alpha still held himself back. They had agreed that this was Tony’s battle and that Steve would only intervene if the situation threatened to spin out of control. Tony continued when the crowd had quieted down again, and an awkward silence started to hang in the air. “I was forced to hide my gender by the people and the society that we live in, who believed, and still do believe, that an omega isn’t fit to lead a Fortune Global 500 company as CEO.”

“What will you do from now on? Will you step down as CEO of Stark Industries?” another man shouted from the back.

Was that guy deaf? Hadn’t Tony just made it clear that he’d lived his whole life in denial because he’d been oppressed by society’s standards? And now this guy, obviously a stereotypical alpha, asked him if he’d simply step down, and accept his new fate as an almost third-rate human?

“Are you stupid?” Tony asked after a few moments of silence and he felt Steve stifle a chuckle behind him. “I will not step down as CEO of Stark Industries, neither will I retire from my position in Research and Development, nor as Iron Man. I am Iron Man.” Tony repeated the famous words from years ago and waited for the words to sink in and the camera flashes to subside before he continued. “I will do everything in my power to continue my support of various omega rights groups and shelters. But now, as of today, it won’t be through anonymous donations in the millions; it will be official money from the fundraising galas of Stark Industries and my personal fortune. I, Tony Stark, will donate time and money to support omegas in need. The weakest in our society, those who suffer from physical and mental abuse for what they are born as, those who still live their lives in the shadows: those men and women will always be welcome at Stark Industries. I promise to stand by their side. My company and I will never turn them away. We will be a safe haven.”

A stunned silence followed his little speech. His heart was beating hard against his ribs and he felt Steve rub his hand lightly over his back in reassurance. Tony almost dared to hope that they’d gotten the message, when another young reporter piped up. He was standing to his right and several others joined in. “But what about the falling stock prices of Stark Industries?” “Wouldn’t it be in your interest to stabilize the market by making an alpha CEO?” “Can Stark Industries survive the financial embarrassment?” “What does the board of directors say?”

“The company is doing fine, our tech is the most advanced in the world. The latest line of Stark Phones is leading the market, international sales are more than stable, and our R&D department is pioneering in various fields of research.” said Tony, trying to keep his calm. The questions became louder and more insistent with every answer he delivered, and the various scents in the room became an almost numbing mixture that he hoped he would never have to smell again. Tony swallowed down the snarky remarks he really wanted to make and wished for the quiet of his- of their quarters, where he could press his nose to Steve’s neck and inhale his calming scent, knowing that the alpha would hold him close and keep him safe. “I don’t see why me being an omega would have any impact on the durability, the functionality, or the quality of Stark Industries’ products. The company is still as reliable, groundbreaking and environmentally-friendly as it was two weeks ago.”

 _Their_ quarters. After long talks between the two of them and with the team, Tony and Steve had decided to give their relationship a serious shot and Steve had swiftly packed his things and moved into Tony’s penthouse suite. The omega had expected it to be awkward and even a little odd for the two of them at first, since they’d muddled up the whole ‘getting together’ process. It wasn’t _court, have sex, move in together, bond;_ in their case it was _have sex, move in together, court_ … and maybe bond somewhere in the faraway future? But no, Tony had been forced to reevaluate his expectations once again. Living with Steve was wonderful. It was more than Tony had ever dared to hope for. He’d never felt as whole and complete as he did now. Steve never expected him to act a certain way, he accepted his flaws, supported his decisions, questioned them if Tony needed a second opinion and sometimes even if he didn’t.

Tony had never slept as well as he did with Steve by his side. It was as if his nightmares didn’t dare to haunt him with the big blonde’s arms around his middle. Tony was allowed to touch Steve as much as he wanted. Sometimes it was enough to tangle their fingers together, or hold onto his hand for a moment when Steve offered him his first cup of coffee in the morning, or lean into him when a headache announced itself. Sure, the sex and the kissing was great, amazing, mind-blowing even, but it was the intimacy that accompanied all of their interactions, the tiny things that they did for each other, the loving gazes, and the soft tone in their voices that really made Tony’s heart swell until he thought it would melt.

Another wave of questions jolted him out of his daydreams and Tony tried his best to satisfy the hyenas and maintain his calm. There were twenty more minutes of questions about the company, the stock prices, the future of Stark Industries and his past decisions regarding his beta status before a woman in the back of the room raised her voice. Tony glared at the blonde beta. Christine Everhart. Her classy black skirt and suit and the glint in her eyes was making Tony uncomfortable. Ever since their famous one-night stand all those years ago, she liked to give him a hard time.

“Mr Stark, is it true that you spent your heat with Captain Rogers? Confidential sources say that you received hundreds of bonding offers over the course of the last week, and reputed witnesses appeared who claimed to have spent former heats with you. What really happened behind closed doors? We want the truth.”

Tony paused. The other reporters in the room had listened to the question with rapt attention and were now staring at Tony, waiting for him to make a mistake, for his mask to slip. For a moment, Tony felt like he was indeed close to losing his cool, but then he felt the hand on his back shift and the scent of the alpha intensified as he stepped closer and gently pulled Tony to his side.

“Tony and I are together, that much is true. But the stories about former heat partners are false, and those who see it fitting to spread lies and ruin Mr Stark’s reputation are welcome to schedule an appointment and discuss this topic with both of us. But let it be said that we won’t hesitate to exercise our rights when rumors and defamations become too much and threaten to harm Tony or his decisions,” Steve stated from next to him with his characteristic stern Captain America voice. Their bodies were touching, from shoulder to hip, and it was grounding Tony. He felt safe in Steve’s arms, just like how he’d felt when Steve had held him close during his heat. Sharing the weight of the future with someone Tony could trust, someone who didn’t run away, lifted a burden from his shoulders. The omega felt a small shiver run down his spine when Steve’s clever fingers secretly found the tender remains of the lovebites that he’d left on his hip a week ago under his jacket and waistcoat. “Furthermore, everything else that concerns our relationship, Tony’s former sexual encounters from his life as a beta, and his decisions and opinions about bonding plans are private, and we, meaning Mr Stark and I, would appreciate it if the press would grant us that amount of privacy. The general public will be informed about everything we deem necessary for them to know. Thank you. No more questions, please.”

Tony gazed into Steve’s blue eyes for a moment, ignoring the reporters and their yelled questions, and stood up on his tiptoes to kiss the corner of Steve’s mouth briefly. Tony felt the alpha stiffen for a moment before he returned the kiss happily. Steve’s scent turned sweet, and it engulfed Tony just like it did when they slept together, keeping them safe and sound in their little bubble. The contact was short, the gesture lasted only a few seconds, but the camera flashes nearly tripled and the occasional “Awww” could be heard amongst the chaos. They broke the kiss and leaned their foreheads together, breathing each other in. A gentle warmth spread through Tony’s body, from his toes to his fingertips, which had found their way to Steve’s waist.

“Was that okay?” Steve’s deep voice rumbled in his chest as he whispered in Tony’s ear.

“More than okay. Take me home, Steve.” Tony whispered back, so the microphone wouldn’t catch his voice. Because those words belonged to Steve, and only to Steve. “Take me home and hold me tight, alpha. I love you.”

A smile formed on Steve’s lips, it grew and grew and Steve was beaming from ear to ear. He gently pulled Tony closer into his arms, carded his free hand through his dark hair, and kissed him tenderly once again. Both of them let their eyes fall closed. Tony was enveloped in his alpha’s loving scent and it was perfect. This moment was everything, because with Steve by his side, he knew he had everything. He held his world in his arms.

Steve’s reply was a whisper that brushed tenderly over his lips. “I love you too, my omega. My Tony. I love you too.”

.oOo.

Two years later…

Tony and Steve were the most famous and most popular celebrity couple around the globe. The last months had been a rollercoaster. They had revolutionized the omega rights movement and Stark Industries was more successful than it had ever been before. Their legendary press conference from when they’d publicly announced their relationship was the most viewed video on YouTube. In between their regular meetings with politicians and visits to omega shelters, they still occasionally rescued the world from slug-like aliens and giant teddy bears, and enjoyed their intimate togetherness.

The day Steve and Tony finally bonded was the day that Tony surprised Steve with his positive pregnancy test. The awed alpha knelt down in front of Tony, gently lifted his shirt to press his lips to Tony’s lower stomach, holding him tight but oh so gentle. It was way too early to be able to see Tony’s baby bump, but Steve swore he could already feel their child growing inside of Tony. His lashes were wet from his tears and Tony bent down to kiss the salty drops from the corners of his eyes.

The team was overjoyed, Natasha and Pepper both nominated themselves for the position of godmother, and Clint, Thor and Bruce started a betting pool on whether the baby would be a girl or a boy. The press was going to have a field day when they decided to tell the public.

And Tony? Well, Tony simply traced the trails of the dried tears of joy on his alpha’s cheeks with gentle fingers, as they laid together in the dark, on the bed where their story had started. The strong hand of the alpha was splayed over his belly and he had his nose pressed to Tony’s bitten bonding gland. He could feel Steve’s love, joy, and gratefulness over their new bond, and their mingled scents engulfed them both. Tony was finally home.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "Alpha Steve Rogers discovers that his teammate Tony is an Omega after a battle a few months after the battle of New York. Tony's suppressants fail and Steve helps him out. They slowly fall in love while Tony deals with having his biggest secret outed to the world. Steve is very protective. They end up having a baby together."
> 
> Thank you for staying until the end! I sincerly hope you all enjoyed the story!


End file.
